One Wrong Move
by Mina-Elaine
Summary: Hermione just doesnt know what to do anymore. Harry and Ron seem to have forgotten her b/c of their gf'a Ginny and Luna. Hermione doesn't think life's worth the living and while trying to get killed by the Womping Willow, Draco saves her only to confess..
1. Confessions

**_One Wrong Move_**

**_Chapter 1_**_****_

_Ever feel so alone that it hurts? To the point where you think nothing matters? Where you don't think it's worth the living anymore? Where every criticizing word feels like its ripping the very skin off your bones? Cause it cuts deep. Really deep..._

_  
_'Hurry up Hermione! You'll be late for breakfast!'

Hermione rolled over onto her side to watch the dorm room door close giving a squeaky protest. She felt sick but the Hospital Wing was out of the question. If anything it felt good. If she could feel something it made her feel human. Whether it was pain or stomach sickness it felt good to not feel like an alien like the other students made her feel. She rolled onto her back again, closed her eyes, and put on a serene completion. Why couldn't life be the way it was before? When Harry wasn't the Quidditch Captain of Gryffindor, when Ron was still stupid and funny, when Ginny was still small and innocent and everyone still thought that Luna was crazy.

Hermione's eyes shot open within seconds. Throwing the covers off her body, she dove out of her bad and ran straight for the bathroom. She threw open the toilet lid and leaned over the edge feeling her insides being ripped wall from wall and all coming out at once. After flushing, Hermione let her head fall to the seat of the toilet and wiped her mouth. She had to get out of this hell hole. It was the shits. _Bing. _It was like a light turned on inside her head. She knew the perfect plan to get out of Hogwarts.

Hermione jumped up running to the trunk at the foot of her bed. She threw the top open and grabbed the first pair of pants and the first blue sweater she could see and got dressed. It was late enough in the morning that everyone would be in the Great Hall for breakfast, so Hermione was able to slip out of the 7th year girl's dorm, see the common room empty and move on into the 7th year boy's dorm. She opened to door slowly a crack to see if anyone was still inside. YES! Empty. Hermione stalked towards Harry's bed and at seeing that I was still unmade she whispered, 'typical,' under her breathe and rolled her eyes. She opened the trunk at the base of Harry's bed. Opening the lid she found the objects she was in search for laying right on top. First, Harry's invisibility cloak and second, the map Harry had gotten from Dumbledore. The Marauders Map. Hermione shoved both the cloak and the map under her arm and ran from the room and into the common room.

Making sure the cloak was covering all of her body, Hermione unfolded the map in the common room and spied the passage which was looking for. The On-Eyed Witch passage way was free and clear. Not one Witch or Warlock was strayed from the Great Hall. Well not any besides the Weasley twins who were on the second floor trying to get Peeves the Poltergeist to make a racket and make Mr. Filch the Hogwarts Caretaker come running and cussing. Hermione nodded in approvement and made her way to the portrait hole.

From outside in the corridor it would have looked like the portrait was opening by itself, but Hermione was struggling with keeping the cloak from falling off and holding the map. She decided to fold it up quietly, tuck it in her shirt and then she ran, silently but swiftly down the corridors turning every which way, until she came upon the One-Eyed Witch statue. She whispered her magic and not 15 minutes after entering the passage she came up in Honeydukes cellar in Hogsmeade. Once she walked up the stairs and out the front door, Hermione closed her eyes and breathed a deep breath of fall air. She felt free. She opened her eyes again and made her way in the direction on the Shrieking Shack. She loved going there. Even if the name was… well… unusual, the place gave her a peace of mind. So ducking behind a tree, taking off the cloak and tucking it around her arms which she held across her chest, she began down the road. The light breeze blew around her sending little shivers down her neck and arms. Closing her eyes – yet again – she sighed. Why couldn't life feel like the wind? Free and easy? She opened her eyes again to find the fence between her and the Shrieking Shack just in the distance. She didn't want to go back. She knew she had to sooner or later, but for now, she just lay down on the grass on the hill nearby and dozed off with the sun on her face.

_There was a soft sort of tapping around Hermione as she lay asleep in the grass. It became louder and harder and more frequent until Hermione realized that she was wet. Her eyes opened faster than they had closed and she looked up into the dark, unwelcoming sky above her and yet beyond the horizon. It was black and angry clouds drifted aimlessly in the air. The rain was freezing and pelting down so hard that it hurt Hermione's skin. At this rate she would never be able to go back through Honeydukes without getting caught. As she through the cloak around her trying to cover some of her skin, her gaze drifted over to the Shrieking Shack. Yes, of course. The passage under the Shack, lead to the base of the Womping Willow. She could get out of Hogsmeade fast enough that way. _

_Tripping over her own two feet and the cloak, Hermione ran to the Shack trying not to drop the cloak or the map. Lightning set the sky on fire and not 3 seconds after the thunder exploded like a million gunshots at once. She jumped at the sound and ran up the steps. She couldn't hear the screech of the door and she thrust it open and ran down the stairs inside. She wanted to get out of there. The Shack was old and even though it had made it through a billion other storms like this one, she didn't want it crashing down when she was inside it. Once she made it into the passage way. She slowed to a walk. What time was it anyway? Hermione glanced at the watch on her wrist. 3:00 pm. Shit! She had been gone for the whole day. What would everyone think? Hermione ran as fast as she could through the underground tunnel. She didn't want to be expelled. Maybe everyone would think she was in the hospital wing and maybe the hospital wing would think she was in class. It didn't matter she had to get back soon. _

_No sooner had she stopped for a breather, did Hermione see the end of the tunnel and hear the rhythmic creaking of the old Womping Willow above her. __How long would it take for people to realize I'm gone? __Hermione thought. __How quick a death would it be if the Willow crushed me? Would it take one swift move to crush every bone in my body to thin chips? Would it hurt?__ Hermione didn't care about the pain. She didn't care if people would miss her. Her parents would be just as happy without a witch in the family, her friends – what friends? There was no purpose in living anymore. One quick smash on the Willow's part and Hermione wouldn't feel pain ever again and that sounded agreeable enough to her. _

_Taking a deep cleansing breathe – probably the last she'd ever take – Hermione climbed from the hole in the Willow's roots, squeezed her eyes shut tight and yelled into the black afternoon sky. The ground rumbled, shaking Hermione's very bones. The creaking of the tree grew extremely loud and next thing Hermione knew a branch about the size of an arm smashed into the back of her head sending her flying. _

_'What the hell are you doing?' someone yelled. 'IMOBOLUS!' _

_The Willow was just about to strike a very disoriented Hermione when it slowed in mid swing then to a stop. A blurry figure came running up beside Hermione. She couldn't make out who it was, all she could see was smudges of black and flashes of green and silver whenever there was a flash of lightning. Her head was aching and it pulsed with throbbing pain. A pair of arms pulled her up, cradling her to a warm, hard chest. _

_'The Mudblood?' questioned the green and silver streaks. _

_Hermione groaned in pain._

_'Hold on. I'll get you out of here.'_

_In the stranger's arms, Hermione felt safe and warm. The arms held her close and tight. She felt as though they were the arms of an angel and they would never let her go. Never let her fall. Her Guardian Angel. _

Hermione remembered everything very vaguely before the figure had brought her to this room that she was in. She remembered feeling like she was flying, levitating. She remembered rumbling wood doors, cold, wet sounding footsteps beside her, a soft word whispered, a portrait screeching, the commotion of tons of people talking, a door opening then closing, a voice telling people – invisible to her – to leave and then finally a soft mattress beneath her. Some wet material was pulled from over her face and a cold, delicate but strong hand touched her cheek.

Hermione groaned in pain, opening her eyes. She almost screamed when she saw who was sitting beside her on the bed she now lay on. She shot up only to grab her head in dizziness and pain and fall back against a pillow.

'Hi,' said Draco. Draco Malfoy had saved her. He saved her from herself, from her own stupidity. He was he Guardian Angel? Yeah right. Draco looked down onto the green and silver bed sheets, blushing ever so slightly.

'What the hell!' Hermione said very loudly.

'Keep it down,' Draco hushed her.

'Sorry. Why the hell did you save me?'

'You were trying to get yourself killed by the Womping Willow. Or were you not, 'cause that is sure as hell what it looked like to me. What was I supposed to do?' Draco got up taking off his robe which was actually his Quidditch robe.

'You hate me remember?' Hermione's voice was full of poison. 'I'm a mudblood. Don't you recall?'

'I couldn't see who you were through the dark. I was just coming back from Quidditch practice. I was cleaning stuff up so I came back later than everyone else. I saw someone in jeans and a sweater trying to kill herself. I couldn't just leave her there.'

'Maybe you shouldn't have even gotten involved,' Hermione glared.

Draco turned to look at her, rolled his eyes, turned away, took off his soaked sweater exposing his bare, pale back. He threw on a grey t-shirt and turned back to Hermione again. 'Excuse me,' he said as he strode over to the bathroom with a pair of jeans.

Once he was inside. Hermione sat up slowly, so as not to get a head rush and looked around the circular room. It contained five beds in a circle with a wood burning fireplace in the center. Draco came out of the bathroom and Hermione looked over her shoulder at him. She had never seen him look so casual before. His hair was wet and shaggy on his head and Hermione couldn't help but find him very good looking. She looked back in front of her saying, 'Thank-you. I don't know what I was thinking. I was trying to take the easy way out of things. I've made a mess out of everything I ever had.'

Draco had stopped putting his robes by the fire to dry. 'No problem,' he mumbled.

'It's just… ever since Harry and Ginny and Ron and Luna everything's been so different. No one talks to me anymore. I'm an outcast. I mean nothing. I just thought that maybe if I was gone, people wouldn't have to spend so much energy on ignoring me. I would make it easier for everyone.'

'Not for me,' Draco whispered very softly from where he sat, back to back with Hermione, on the other side of the bed.

'What?' Hermione looked over her shoulder again at him.

'Nothing,' he replied getting up off the bed. 'I should probably get you out of here so you can go back to the Gryffindor Common Room. Don't take any short cuts that may cause another suicide attempt. I won't be around this time to save your neck. You were lucky enough once but maybe not twice. '

'No.'

'What?'

'I'm not leaving.'

'What?'

'I'm not leaving until you explain what you JUST said.' Hermione got up folding her arms across her chest and staring at Draco who in turn looked very confused and slightly angry at himself. He didn't say anything.

'Well?'

'Okay, fine! I like you. A lot.'

Hermione's arms fell to her sides and her eyes grew to the size of large cherry's. 'W… what?'

'I like you. More than anything. I did know it was you. I couldn't loose you Hermione.'

'But,' Hermione was so confused, 'but you always… always call me a mud blood. Even while you were saving me.'

'I didn't like saying it. I only tried to make you think I hated you. I knew you didn't like me and with Potter and Weasley always around, I had to make them think I hated you too or else, imagine the humiliation for both of us.'

'If you would have just come out with it, people would have perceived you as human at least.'

'I know. Every time I said those things, I swear it meant nothing. I want to be with you Hermione. If it's the last thing I do, I want to be with you. Please? Give me a chance?'

Hermione didn't know what to think or say. So she acted. She took probably five steps and reached her arms around Draco's neck. Their lips met and Hermione felt a kind of magic she never knew existed. She broke away and looked up into Draco's deep blue eyes then looked away fast and let go of his neck, backing away. 'Sorry I…,' Draco's mouth was on hers again with in seconds. His hands gripped her neck holding her face on his. Her lips seemed to move perfectly with his and as his hands moved down her neck to her back and then her waist, _her _hands moved up to tangle themselves in his damp blonde hair. Hermione hardly knew what she was doing, all she knew was that it felt right. Draco kept kissing her so much that she was stepping backward to try and make the space between them a little greater. The back of her knee came in contact with the edge of the bed making her knees buckle. She fell backward onto Draco's bed and Draco followed right after her. Hermione pulled herself further onto the bed with her elbows and Draco still followed by crawling on his hands and knees on top of her. Hermione broke off from Draco's lips and looked up at him. 'Hi…um… I should probably go. I mean… send me an owl or something. We'll talk.'

'Hermione?'

'Yes,' Hermione stared up into his eyes. She blushed.

'Does this mean we're… you know… seeing each other?'

Hermione smiled brightly, closed her eyes, pulled his head down again and kissed him. 'I'll get back to you,' she winked.


	2. Friends

**One Wrong Move**

**Chapter 2**

Hermione got out of the Slytherine common room much the way she had got in. Draco threw the invisibility cloak on top of her and she followed close behind him through the hall and common room and then the portrait hole. Once in the outside corridor, Draco lifted the cloak up off Hermione's face and pressed his lips to hers once more. Hermione looked at him and smiled.

'I should go.'

'Mm… yeah. Probably. See you tomorrow.'

'Mm-hm. See you.'

Hermione turned down the hall and made her way back to Gryffindor.

Just outside the portrait hole, Hermione saw a very frustrated Neville Longbottom, fighting with the Fat Lady in the picture.

'Are you _sure_?' Neville whined.

'Of course I'm sure,' said the Fat Lady taken aback. 'What do you take me for, a tea cozy? That's _not _the password.'

'Err… is it Chocolate Frog?'

At the precise time Neville said _chocolate frog_, Hermione whispered, _Wolfsbane_. And the Fat lady said, with plenty of exasperation, 'Finally.'

'I got it!' Neville had a large smile on his face.

'No,' the Fat Lady said rolling her eyes. 'It was that girl.' She waved her hand, and opened, leaving a very scared looking Neville looking around him in the corridor the poor lad shaking in his shoes. Hermione just had enough time to slip in through the hole before Neville, whimpering, clamored in and falling over in the process. Hermione dodged many people as she made her way through the crowded common room. When she got to the stairs she had a hrad time not bumping into the girls on the stairwell. Pressing her ear to the door to make sure no one was inside, she listened hard and not hearing a sound, she glanced behind her to make sure no one was watching and she pushed the door inward. She slid the door back into place in the door frame and tip-toed to her bed. She slid off the cloak, shoving it under the bed and crawled under the covers.

Not 20 seconds after she had gotten into bed, pulled the covers up to her chin, closed her eyes and steadied her breathing, did the door open again. Slowly it shut and Hermione heard a pair of footsteps tip-toeing across the floor.

'Hermione?' a voice whispered. 'Are you awake?'

Hermione let her eyes open slowly giving it the effect that she _had_ been sleeping. She moaned sleepily.

'Hey,' it was Lavender Brown. 'We missed you in class today.'

'I know,' Hermione replied rubbing her eyes. 'I was tired and I felt really sick and I could barely get up.'

'Are you feeling better now?'

'Mm-hm,' she propped herself up onto her elbows. Before she could even steady herself, Lavender swung toward Hermione throwing her arms around her neck.

'I'm so sorry Hermione.'

'W…what?' said Hermione in a state of shock.

'I'm sorry.'

'For what, Lavender? You haven't done anything.'

'Exactly!' Lavender said pulling back. 'I see the way Ron and Harry treat you and I hear what they say, but I never do anything about it, I only laugh along with everyone else.'

'Lavender, I… I don't know what to say.'

'Hermione, I'm your friend I _want _to be. I Ron and Harry aren't there for you then I want to be. Please, Hermione can we be friends? Please?'

Hermione didn't know what to say still, she nodded her head and was again shocked when Lavender hugged her. Hermione hugged her back this time and instantly they both began crying. Hermione, because it seemed that right when there was no hope everything turned around and Lavender, because she felt she was doing the right thing and she knew she had found a true friend.

That night, everything seemed somewhat normal. Hermione went down for dinner in the Great Hall with Lavender. She was able to catch Draco's eye from across the hall at times throughout the night and he would wink at her and she gave a cheesy, blushing smile. After dinner Hermione and Lavender returned to the common room, all smiles. After changing into their nightwear, the y lounged out on Lavender's bed till all hours of the night drinking Butter Beer and eating sweets; pumpkin pasties, chocolate frogs, licorice wands, and Bertie Botts Every Flavored Beans. They cracked jokes and fooled around until the Patil sister finally had enough and got angry.

'Is this really necessary?' Pavarti complained sleepily. 'If you're going to stay up all night then please keep it down so the rest of us can sleep'

'Right,' Hermione whispered. 'Sorry P.' Lavender laughed quietly and turned to Hermione again smiling. 'Hey umm…' Hermione looked down at her hands smiling too, 'I have a secret and I can't tell anyone.'

Lavender's eyes suddenly went _very_ wide. 'Oh boy. You wouldn't have told me that if you're not going to tell me the secret. I'm all ears and I won't tell a soul I promise. You can trust me Hermione.'

Hermione looked up grinning, 'okay, come here.' Lavender scooted closer and put her ears closer to Hermione's lips. 'Somebody asked me out today. I said yes but I'm not sure what to do because no one here really likes him.'

'Oh,… my… gosh… Who is it?' Lavender quietly squealed. 'Who doesn't like him, the school or Gryffindor?'

'Gryffindor,' stated Hermione.

Lavender stifled a squeal as she pulled back. Hands over her mouth, she carefully half squealed half whispered, 'Malfoy?!'

Hermione nodded carefully, grinning ever so slightly. When Lavender drew back her hands she had the biggest smile on her face. Oh, my gosh this is insane. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's perfectly wonderful, but I never would have thought! He's so mean to you.'

'I know,' said Hermione putting her face down, her hair falling over her shoulder's veiling the sides of her face. When she looked up again, tears were swimming in the base of her eyes, glinting with sadness. 'I just… I feel like something's missing and when Draco kissed me it was like it wasn't missing anymore. I need this. More than anything I needed that. I need you too, believe me I do. Do you know what it's like to feel like the whole world is falling slowly from beneath you but the faster you run away, the faster it keeps coming? Like everything someone says about you is like piercing knives all over you and your skin being agonizingly slowly ripped from your body? Do you? Because it hurts. More than any curse it hurts. It's not magic that we're familiar with but it's still there.'

'Hermione… I had no idea. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything,' Lavender looked to the mattress and then slowly raising her head she smiled brightly at Hermione. 'So what's he like?'

Hermione grinned and giggled, 'I swear Slytherine is_ the_ house to be in,' she was trying hard to whisper and she couldn't keep from giggling. Neither could Lavender.

'Really? That good huh?' Hermione rolled her eyes nodding. 'So do you think Vincent is seeing anyone?'

'Vincent?'

'Yeah. Vincent Crabbe.'

'Definitely not. I mean I haven't seen them with any girls. You should ask him.'

'I was thinking about it, but I never wanted to say anything because I thought our houses hated each other.'

'You shouldn't let that change who you are or who you wanna be with.'

'I know but you know the drill. When in Rome, do as the Romans do, right? I wouldn't fit in.'

'Well,' Hermione put her hand on top of Lavender's, 'now we can not fit in together.'

Lavender smiled, 'Mm-hm.'

Being with Lavender all the time, earned Hermione – and Lavender – a few displeasing looks, but they didn't seem to notice at all. It was now two days after Hermione had learned Draco loved her and also the first day since then that they had a class together. Hermione was scared about how it was going to go over and she figured it out about ten minutes into Potions.

Hermione and Lavender sat at their cauldron, stirring their potion and giggling about Draco quietly. Hermione looked up to see Draco grinning slightly looking half up at her and half at his mixture of ingredients. He caught her eye and held her gaze. Turning to Goyle, he ordered him to keep stirring and he took a piece of parchment from his bag scribbled something down with his quill and then looked up at her as he folded it up. He straightened himself up and wiped the smile off his face looking utterly posh and rude. He strode his high-and-mighty walk past Hermione, who had ingredients in her hands, and shoved her slightly with his hip, knocking her ingredients all over her desk top, acting like it was an accident but throwing the note onto her note book and then saying, 'Hey watch it mudblood.' Slytherine laughed along with Draco as Snape, in turn, chuckled under his breath then told him to be respectful. Hermione put on a hurt face but placed her hand down on top of the note so no one would see. Once Draco had gone into the ingredients closet to get more dried toad blood, Hermione and Lavender leaned over the note and Hermione unfolded it slowly.

Scrawled on the piece of parchment, in Draco's elegant script, Hermione read:

_Hey baby,_

_Meet me round back of Greenhouse 4 before lunch._

_Draco ._

Lavender nearly fell right off her chair because she couldn't stop giggling.

'Lavender,' Hermione hissed, 'shut up!'

'Sorry,' Lavender was practically in hysteria.

Hermione did a quick glance round the room then found Lavender's calf under their table and she kicked her hard. Her giggles came to an abrupt chocking stop. 'Ouch.' She whispered.

'Is there something the matter over here Miss… Granger?' Professor Snape's sly toned voice cast down a shadow on Hermione like a Dementor.

Her hand slid on top of the note very slowly as she turned slightly to glance up at Snape. 'No sir. Nothing is the matter. I'm just needing to regroup my ingredients… sir.'

'Hmm…,' replied Snape as very slowly he leaned forward bending his arm over Hermione and taking her hand away from the crumpled parchment beneath it. 'What's this?' he asked with a slightly annoying edge in his voice. 'Has Miss Granger got a note?' He took the piece of paper in his hand and slowly, as if to make Hermione die with defeat, he began unfolding the parchment. Hermione looked down to the table and slid her hand into her cloak, grasping her wand. She really didn't want to cast a spell on a teacher but she didn't really have a choice. She was just about to whisper _Confundus (a spell meant to confuse ones opponent)_ under her breathe when a certain someone came rampaging into Professor Snape causing him to drop the note and loose his balance, falling flat on to his face on the floor and the infamous Draco Malfory landing on top on him. Hermione seized the note and grabbed her wand whispering _Incendio _causing the small parchment to burst into a tiny flame and shrivel away.

'Mr. Malfoy!' Snape boomed. 'Would you care to explain what your problem is?'

'S… sorry sir,' Draco struggled to a solid standing position. 'Potter tripped me and I lost my balance.' Draco glared his smug little glare at Harry who was sitting completely oblivious to everything going on and talking with Ron.

'Potter!' Snape snapped up and stomped his way to Harry and Ron's desk and loomed over them. '3 weeks detention for you! There will be no tripping in my class. I will not have you and your friends lollygagging around and causing disruption.'

'But Professor I…'

'Want to make it 4 weeks Mr. Potter?'

'No sir.'

'Granger!' he turned back to Hermione, hand outstretched. 'Where is the note?'

'I don't know sir. You must have dropped it.'

'Fine play your games.' Snape snapped around and strode off to his desk at the front of the dungeon.

Hermione glanced at Draco who took a deep breath and raised his eye brows at her. She nodded slightly showing she understood his message and then he turned and strutted back to his seat between Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe.


	3. Change

**Authors Note:**

Just wanted to say a big thanks to all those who have review my story and I can't say how thrilled I am to have you as my readers. And individual thank you to:

_**tfobmv18**_

_**MrsEdwardCullen13**_

_**tay-lynnSayCarlisleGoHmm**_

_**Tom Riddle's reluctant bride**_

_**Mrs. Black31795**_

_**H-Hesselink**_

_**lknights91**_

My greatest thanks to you all... here is some more of the story... ENJOY

_**One Wrong Move**_

**Chapter 3**

The rest of potions class was a drag. Snape was angry and constantly bickering with Malfoy and the other students going in and out of the ingredients closet. Then, at 12, noon the bell signalling the end of class rang and Hermione's heart nearly flew right up her throat and out her mouth. Lavender grabbed her hand and squeezed it. Hermione glanced up at her and saw her ridiculously big smile on her face.

'Good luck!' she squeaked and giggled. Lavender stood up and her foot caught on the edge of her chair and she was giggling so hard she couldn't collect her balance fast enough. She squealed as she began to fall backwards and then two strong arms wrapped around her and brought her up again into a steady stance. She looked up... way up... into the face of the boy that had caught her and she gasped shyly as she saw Vincent Crabbe standing behind her with one of his hands around her waist and the other on her shoulder.

'Thank-you,' were the only words she could muster through her attempts of flirting and trying to not look like an idiot.

'Careful there, Lav,' Vincent said and turned to follow behind Draco and Gregory.

Lavender turned to a very surprised Hermione and giggled hysterically. 'He called me Lav. He knows who I am. Hermione did you hear that?! He knows my name. Oh, my gosh. He totally just said my name!' Lavender was dancing in circles around Hermione who was trying to collect her school books so she could be outside behind greenhouse 4 sooner than later.

'Lavender I am so happy for you really I am but I _do_ have to get somewhere. We can reminisce over lunch okay?'

'Oh right, okay, see you then. Good luck again!' and she skipped off out of the dungeon.

Hermione lost her footing several times on her way to running down the stairs out onto the grounds of the castle. She could just see the greenhouses in the very near distance and she slowed herself to a walk and took deep breathes to try and slow her breathing.

'Greenhouse 1...'Hermione whispered counting down. 'Greenhouse 2... 2 ½ ... 3...' she took a very, very deep breath as she skipped 3 ½ and just as she was about to whisper 4 she closed her eyes and took a very shallow turn. Next thing she knew there was a hand around her wrist and it pulled her behind the 4th greenhouse. Before she had time to open her eyes, there was a pair Naturally Draco's arms were wrapped around her so she didn't actually fall which she was very happy for. Draco pulled away and she looked up at him and smiled.

'Wow,' she said.

'Ha ha. No kidding.'

'Thanks by the way for your saving me in potions.'

'Are you kidding it was great! I saved you _and _got Potter in trouble. It was two birds with on stone.'

Hermione chuckled. 'Umm... and thanks also to Crabbe.'

'Huh?' Draco raised his eyebrow.

'For saving "Lav",' Hermione included air quotes, 'from falling to her death on the cold dungeon floor.'

'OH! Ha ha yeah no problem. I'll thank him for you.'

'Oh umm... I thought no one knew.'

'Only Crabbe and Goyle... and Lavender I'm guessing. Especially by the way that she was giggling all class.'

'Oh heh, yeah, right.' Hermione could feel she was blushing. 'So umm... when do you wanna make this thing public?'

'When the time is right I guess.'

'And when will that be?'

'Whenever you're ready.'

'I... I'm ready now. If you are I mean.'

'Sorry?' Draco looked confused.

'You said whenever _I _was ready. I am ready.'

'Alright.'

'Whoa! Seriously?'

'Yeah. Seriously.'

'How are we going to do this then?'

'Come with me.' Draco grabbed Hermione's hand but she pulled back. 'What's wrong?' Draco asked stopping in his tracks.

'Is the famous Draco Malfoy ready to throw away his popularity and mummy and daddy's big inheritance all for a silly little muggle born?'

'Hermione, I've known you for 6 years and loved you for 5 of them. Nothing, not even my father`s money, will sway my decision.' Draco kissed Hermione softly on the forehead. 'Now come on. We have people to disturb.' Hermione laughed and followed Draco out from behind the greenhouse still laughing. They walked hand in hand up to the front of the school, up the stone steps and in through the big wooden doors.

'Here it goes,' whispered Hermione.

Draco squeezed her hand and together they pushed in the doors leading into the Great Hall.

The creaking of the door always made everyone look up and then once they realized who was standing at the door everyone went back for a second glance. A gasp ran through the hall as everyone sat astounded at the image of a pure-blood wizard and a muggle-born witch standing hand in hand. A warlock who's family hated muggle-borns was now standing with the muggle-born he hated most and things were about to get stranger. Hermione turned to Draco and kissed him in front of the entire school community. If they had wanted to make an impression, the kiss had defiantly done it for them. The hall broke off into murmurs of complete disbelief and gasps of indignation.

At the head table, Snape was standing in an outrage, but Professor McGonagall, Professor Sprout and Madame Pomfry were merrily talking about how they knew it would happen sooner or later and professor Trelawny was saying how she had seen it in the stars. Hagrid looked confused and Professor Flitwick was clapping. Slytherin was in a complete tizzy and Gryffindor just stared. Their unforgiving looks burning into Hermione's very soul; all but Lavender who was smiling widely at Draco and Hermione. Gregory and Vincent ran over to Draco clapping him on the back and smiling at Hermione. Lavender, seeing Vincent with Hermione and Draco, got up and ran to join them throwing her arms around Hermione and giving her a very warm, loving hug. Together the 5 new friends from Slytherin and Gryffindor walked off together out into the bright Hogwarts sunshine.


	4. Busted

**Author's Note:**

Hey! I just wanted to thank you all again for all of the wonderful encouraging comments.

_**tfobmv18**_

_**MrsEdwardCullen13**_

_**tay-lynnSayCarlisleGoHmm**_

_**Tom Riddle's reluctant bride**_

_**Mrs. Black31795**_

_**H-Hesselink**_

_**lknights91**_

_**Twilight-HP-Lover**_

_**Karmonblake**_

_**jessirose85**_

Here is Chapter 4.

_**One Wrong Move**_

**Chapter 4**

Hermione lay against Draco's legs outside in the court yard after classes. Lavender and Vincent chatted quietly off to the left and to the right, Gregory sat, with one leg tucked under him and the other sticking out in front of him, trying viciously to finish his Potions homework for the next class. Laura Madley, a very bright fourth year from Hufflepuff, was stumbling by and as her potion's text book fell out of her grasp she took one step forward, her foot caught on the edge of Gregory's leg and _THUD! _Down she went.

'Oh shite!' Gregory leapt up and grabbed Laura's hand on the cobble stone ground and helped her to her feet then slumped back to the ground to gather up her books, quills, ink bottles and rolls of parchment as fast as he could. 'I'm sorry… umm…'

'Laura.' Her voice was small.

'Sorry?' Gregory asked.

She cleared her throat and making her voice louder she said again, 'Laura. My name… is Laura.'

'Right, well, I'm so very sorry Laura.'

She nodded. 'It's okay Gregory. Well, bye, then.' She gathered her things from Gregory's arms and shoved then messily into her bag. She took one step away in the direction she had been headed and Gregory had turned back to the group. Laura turned suddenly, 'wait.'

Gregory turned eagerly to face her again. 'Yeah?'

'I… um… was just wondering if maybe you wanted to help me on some Dark Arts homework. I mean I know you've already gone through my year so maybe you might be more help to me then the kids in my year.' She rushed through everything she was saying like she wanted to get it over with as soon as possible.

'Oh… s… sure. It would be my pleasure.'

'Okay,' Laura smiled and bounced slightly on the balls of her feet, 'great. I'll see you then… s… sometime.'

'Yeah. Great. Defiantly.'

'Okay, bye.' And she ran off.

Gregory stared after her, shook his head and fell to the ground just to sit and stare some more.

'Her name is Laura Madley. She's a fourth year,' Hermione explained smiling at Gregory's back. 'She's cute. No?'

'Oh yeah,' Gregory sighed absentmindedly. 'Ugh… I mean… no… err… kind of… well…,' he sighed heavily again turning to face Hermione, Draco, Lavender and Vincent, blushing immensely, 'Oh never mind.'

They all burst into laughter making Gregory blush even more.

'Greg,' Draco said trying to control his diaphragm, 'man, she's three years younger than you.'

'So what, Malfoy. That doesn't matter man.'

Gregory turned back away from them all and leaned back over his Potions homework only to find that it was already finished. He looked up to see Laura on the other side of the courtyard. She winked and placed her wand back inside her robes. He smiled after her, and thought popped into his head. If she had just finished his seventh year Potions homework for him then there was no way she needed help with her fourth year level Defense Against the Dark Arts homework? He chuckled to himself, shaking his head and stuffing his now finished work into his bag, just in time to here the second period class bell ring.

'So,' Hermione began after taking a seat beside Greg and seeing Laura walk by sheepishly in the Great Hall, ' when are you and Laura getting together for that homework session? I'm not being mean, I am simply being a friend.'

Greg smiled slightly and leaned over to whisper in her ear, 'it's not a homework session.'

'Huh? What do you mean?'

'After she left, I picked up my homework again and it was done.'

'Congratulation's Greg you finished it!'

'No, Hermione, I didn't. Laura did. I looked up and she winked at me and put her wand away. If she can finish the homework of a seventh year there is _no _way she needs help with the Dark Arts.'

'Wow,' Hermione said.

'Wow, is right. Didn't you mention that she's three years younger than me?'

'Well, actually that was…' she pointed over her shoulder and a laughing Draco and was about to say his name but Greg rolled his eyes and waved his hand in Hermione's face saying,

'Yeah, yeah, it doesn't matter. I mean I like her an all but she's just so… so… so…'

'Young?' Hermione offered, putting her hand out bottom up.

Greg pushed down her hand rolled his eyes again and said, 'duh.'

'Greg just forget it, I mean you like her right?' He nodded. 'Well then there's nothing more to it. Enjoy you're… umm…' air quotes provided, '"homework" session.'

Gregory nodded and Hermione and he both started laughing. Hermione stopped abruptly when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at the figure behind her and as soon as her eyes landed on a scar barley visible under ragged bangs she sighed and rolled her eyes inwardly. She turned to look forward again. 'What do you want Harry?'

Draco stopped laughing and talking beside her and looked back and his smile faded instantly.

'Umm… Hermione, Ron and I need to talk to you.'

'You don't have to talk to her nothing!' Draco shot up from the bench.

'Draco, stop please. Don't cause trouble okay? I'll go with them. I'll be right back.' Hermione stood up and pushed Draco and Harry away from each other, walk ahead of Harry out of the foyer, found Ron and looked at both of them saying, 'What do you want.'

Ron shook his head, 'Have you forgotten who the bloody hell Malfoy is?' he looked very angry and it made Hermione kind of scared, but she kept on and brave face.

'You're kidding, right?' Hermione chuckled to herself. 'Duh! He's my boyfriend. I make out with him on a regular basis.' She rolled her eyes and laughed inwardly at her own joke and the disgusted look on Ron face.

'He shouldn't be!' Ron exploded. 'He's your fraternizing with your best friend's biggest enemy!'

'Oh well doesn't that sound familiar,' Hermione said not very much enjoying this déjà moment.

'Yeah? Maybe it does.' Ron retorted.

'Does Harry still speak? My gosh, or are you so full of yourself _now _that you have someone else to voice opinions for you?'

'I can't believe you, Hermione,' Harry looked even angrier than Ron. Maybe she was taking things too far. Oh well, she wasn't about to stop.

'Ah, he speaks. If I may say this Harry and _Ron, _you guys left _me_ remember? This is the first time you've talked to me in months and I don't even know what happened! I'm so sick of…'

'Hermione, this is stu…'

'_Hey_!' Hermione yelled, 'shut up! Don't interrupt! Pay attention to me! I'm not talking for my health! You ruined my life so I will stop at nothing to make yours _both _a living hell!' Before Hermione could register what she had just said Harry (or was it Ron) slapped her in the face. This _had _gone too far and just as Hermione slumped to the floor holding her face and crying, Draco stamped into the foyer and punched Harry square in the jaw and kneed Ron in the gut. Lavender and Greg were helping Hermione up off the ground and Hermione had never been so happy to see the famous Harry Potter and his "sidekick" Ron Weasley withering in pain on the ground.

'What, in the name of Godric Gryffindor, is going on out here?!' Professor McGonagall came running into the foyer as well and seeing Hermione with tears on her cheeks, a red hand print of her face, both Ron and Harry on the ground groaning and Draco with his arms wrapped tightly around Hermione kissing her hair, she leant down grabbed Harry and Ron by one ear and pulled them off in the direction of her office saying, 'You should be horribly ashamed! Didn't you mother ever tell you not to hit a girl!'

'Oh, my gosh, Hermione are you okay?' Laura also came out of the Great Hall and ran to Hermione to comfort her, followed by Ginny and Luna who glared at the group and stomped off to find Harry and Ron.

'Hermione,' Laura whispered lightly laying her hand on her shoulder, 'what happened?'

Hermione laughed half heartedly, pulling away from Draco and furiously wiping away her tears. 'It was stupid,' she whimpered, 'they were just trying to convince me about stuff I already knew. It was my fault. I snapped.' She laughed again.

Draco put his hand on the small of her back just as an owl came from the hall dropping a letter on top of Draco's head.

'It's too late for mail,' Lavender pointed out stupidly.

'Duh,' said Greg. Laura and Lavender each slapped him on either arm. 'Sorry,' he mumbled.

Draco opened the letter and after he read it he lowered it down slowly looking at the floor and exhaling. 'My father, he… he's coming to Hogwarts. Professor Snape sent him an owl.' He looked up at Hermione, 'He's coming to stop me.'

Hermione looked to the ground and a small hiccup escaped her lips and her shoulder's started vibrating as she burst into tears again. Draco wrapped his arm around Hermione's shoulders and escorted her out the front doors of Hogwarts. Leaving the noise of the hall; leaving everything.

'Hermione,' Draco pushed her hair from her face and wrapped his hand to the form of her cheek after he sat her down on the rocks starting the path going down to Hagrid's, 'it will all be okay. Alright? I won't let anything bad happen. Shallow, bad circumstances are what brought us together, they can't tear us apart. Do you trust me?'

Hermione looked into his eyes and nodded. 'I trust you.'

'Good, then you need to believe me, okay?'

Hermione nodded again and Draco smiled. Hermione choked out a laugh and smiled too, again wiping the tears away in a desperate attempt to clear her face. 'Look at me,' she laughed, 'I'm all red and splotchy.'

'No you're not,' Draco said raising her face and wiping a tear away softly, 'you're beautiful and you're mine. I will never let you fall Hermione. Never.'


	5. Betrayed

**Author's Note:**

Hey everyone! I can`t even begin to tell you all how sorry I am for making you wait for this next chapter but I really appreciate all the comments and encorgements. Thanks to:

_**tfobmv18**_

_** MrsEdwardCullen13**_

_** tay-lynnSayCarlisleGoHmm**_

_** Tom Riddle's reluctant bride**_

_** Mrs. Black31795**_

_** H-Hesselink**_

_** lknights91**_

_** Twilight-HP-Lover**_

_** Karmonblake**_

_** jessirose85**_

_** Countess Black**_

_** Broken Robot Dreams**_

_** KataonieRedHead**_

_**MargueriteHOL**_

Here's Chapter 5…

_**One Wrong Move**_

**Chapter 5**

Greg didn't show up at first period Transfiguration next day; nor was he around at the first break between Transfiguration and Potions. While Hermione and Draco, Lavender and Vincent searched for him everywhere, they had no idea where he possible could have been.

'Hey,' Laura said very sweetly to Gregory ― maybe too sweetly for someone three years too young.

'Hey… Laura. Umm… I don't know if this is such a good idea. I mean you're kind of―'

'Young?' She finished for him raising an eyebrow. 'Look Greg,' she took a step toward him, 'all my life ― so far ― people have been telling me that I'm too young for this, too small for that, too young to understand anything, but I'm not. I'm almost 15 years old. I'm not a little girl anymore. I can take care of myself… mostly.' She took two steps, three, four, until she was right in front of him. She looked up into his face and before he could stop himself, he leaned down and kissed her lightly on her lips. He pulled away and looked at her shocked with himself. 'Now that wasn't so hard, was it?' she asked smiling.

Greg smiled and shook his head. He placed his hand on the side of her soft cheek and tangled his fingers lightly in her hair and kissed her again this time lingering and feeling the warmth of her small lips moving with his. This was going to be a hell of a lot easier than he thought it was.

At precisely 2 o'clock, Mr. and Mrs. Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy entered the school with a very strong air of purpose. In fact, they barged into third period Divination.

'Ex… excuse me?' stuttered Professor Trelawny, adjusting her thick spectacles on her crooked nose. 'May I help you with something?'

'I want my son,' Draco's mother whimpered as an unnecessary, overly dramatic tear slid down her cheek.

'Dear,' Lucius said placing a hand on his wife's shoulder, 'I can handle this please. Draco!' he looked at his son with horrible piercing eyes, 'come with me this very instant and get away from that… _thing_.' He jabbed a clammy, white finger at Hermione. He swung his black cloak as he turned around and left through the attic door.

Draco raised his head, looked ahead and squeezing Hermione's hand he got up and followed after his father. Little did she know that was the last time she would see him for a very long time.

At lunch Hermione didn't eat. She only rolled her food around her plate and when Gregory all of the sudden sat down beside her with Laura beside him smiling away she didn't even look up from her plate.

'Where on _earth_ have you been Greg?' Vincent asked looking at him with growing suspicion.

'Umm… nowhere… of consequence,' he breathed back as Laura giggled.

Vincent sighed. 'I don't even _want _to know.'

'Neither do I,' Lavender shuddered.

'Hey,' said Gregory, 'where's Mal… foy…' he stopped himself, but a little too late. Hermione looked up with renewed tears in her eyes. 'Oh no, Hermione, I'm so sorry. I didn't know.'

'Of course you didn't. While you and Laura were busy snogging and doing goodness knows what else, Lucius and Narcissa walked straight into Divination and order him out of the attic. Only God knows what's going on. What if I never see him again?'

'Hermione I'm so sorry,' Lavender said for the 6 millionth time.

Hermione had had enough of all the sympathy. She slammed her fists on the table and stood up shaking the table. She ran from the hall and out to the Gryffindor Common Room. She locked herself into the bathroom and struggled with the taps on the bathtub. After getting the water to a somewhat agreeable temperature, she stripped her uniformal tie, but she wouldn't get much further before completely breaking down. She screamed into her hands, barley muffling her screams of terror. This was a worse feeling than the feeling of betrayal. She felt like this was her chance to give up completely and this time Draco wouldn't be there to stop her but it wasn't like he would be coming back. His father was a death eater and there was nothing in her power to stop him from making Draco one too.

Hermione was finally able to slink out of her clothes and into the hot tub. She lay there looking up at the ceiling making up shapes with her mind in the wood. She had never felt so alone even when she had all the people she ever needed, except the one she needed most. There was a soft muffled knocking on the wooden door and a small voice said,

'Hermione? Can I come in?' It was Lavender.

Hermione said nothing so Lavender opened the door anyway. At the sight of Hermione, she put down her head closed the door behind her and walked to the bathtub sitting down beside it. Hermione still said nothing. Her head rolled from looking at the wall to look up towards the ceiling.

'You know what hurts most about a broken heart?'

Lavender looked at her eyebrows slightly pursed. Hermione looked at her a tear rolling down her cheek, 'Not knowing what you felt like before.' And then she cracked and she started crying again. Lavender could only think of doing one thing, so she sat up on her knees and hugged Hermione. This whole scene would have been very awkward to anyone who walked in but Hermione didn't care and neither did Lavender.

Lavender sat behind Hermione on Hermione's bed combing Hermione's hair for her. Hermione was hunched over, her face red and puffy and her eyes still a little wet.

'Do you think he's coming back?' Hermione said.

'I don't know,' replied Lavender.

'I don't know if I want him to.'

'What?' Lavender was shocked.

Hermione turned to look at her. 'What if he's not the same? What if his mother and father have turned him bad? What if it's better I don't see him again?'

'Hermione don't say that. He will always be yours and you will always be his, no questions asked. He loves you Hermione, don't give up.'

'I don't know what to think then,' she said turning back around. 'My whole world is falling, Lavender and Draco isn't here to build up the old stone walls again.'

Lavender raised herself up high into her knees and hugged Hermione around the back. 'I am though,' was all she said.

In classes the next day Hermione, Lavender, Vincent and Gregory all took their seats at the back of the room where they sat for everything now in their own little integrated corner. Half way through first period Transfiguration, Hermione got what she had been dreadfully wishing for. Draco waltzed in behind his father. His father literally escorted him to sit with the Slytherines and once he was in his seat getting his books out, Mr. Malfoy marched, not strolled, _marched_ to the front of the room and spoke harshly to Professor Migonigal and, with a sweep of his long black cloak, he was gone. Hermione glanced over at Draco. He sat alone at the back of the room starring at his desk top. He didn't dare look up to make eye contact with anyone. Not even the professor. Hermione felt her eyes start to moisten. He _was _different! She could already tell. She didn't know what to do. She would talk to him after class and see what happened.

As soon as the bell rang, Hermione ran out the doors before anyone else. She hid flat against the wall behind a small outcrop so no one could fully recognize her unless they walked past. The whole class was empty. No one else walked by. Hermione peeked around the corner and didn't see anyone in the hall the other way. She heard the professors' office door close, so she strode back into the classroom. Draco was still sitting in his seat. Hermione walked up to him slowly and put a hand on his shoulder. He didn't even flinch at the feeling or look up to see who was touching him.

'Draco?' He didn't say anything. 'Draco, please?'

'Go away Hermione. Leave me be.'

'No Draco I will not! You can't tell me to leave you when you know as much as I do that you don't want me to go.'

'Oh but I do want you to go!'

'W… what?'

'I don't want you Hermione!' the sincerity in his voice stung like a thousand bees.

'You really don't mean that! Y… you can't… you love me Draco don't you remember?'

He laughed an evil low laugh, 'the willingness to believe anything is my description of a muggles mind. You`re so stupid to think that a man as high in status in the wizarding world as me could ever, _would _ever love a dirty muggle like you.`


End file.
